Exit Exams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Exit Exams - Essay ExampleA description of those affected more or less by the exit exams provide be given, and a look at what some districts ar doing to emend test s amounts willing be worthwhile.Exits exams throw off many aliases, including proficiency tests, graduation exams, minimum efficiency exams (MCEs) and mandatory exit exams (MEEs). The bottom line to all of them is that razetide if a student finished the twelfth grade with the minimum required grade point average, and the mandatory amount of credits, no diploma will be issued until the student principales the exit exam required by the state. As of June 2008, students in 23 states will have to pass exit exams to pose high school diplomas (Rosenthal, 2008). Some states dont require it yet, but short will. Students in Maryland, for example, wont have to begin passing the exam until 2009 (Rosenthal, 2008). Other school districts, though, are begging forth of the exam. Two years ago, Utah pulled back from making exi t exams mandatory (No New States, 2006). In California, lawsuits were filed when students didnt receive diplomas, based solely on the inability to pass a proficiency exam, but the California unconditional Court upheld the states decision to withhold diplomas when students failed to prove minimum competency using the exam. Decisions like that have sparked logical argument all over the United States. Proponents believe it is a good idea for various reasons. Opponents have an even longer list of reasons why the exit exams are unfair. Teachers claim to be tired of juggling two right standards (Cromer, 2007), one from the state and one from the No Child Left Behind act, and others feel that teachers have no right to complain since many of them do, or will receive some form of incentive allowance (Cromer, 2007) when their students pass their exam. With all of this going on, it is not difficult to see why the states are in much(prenominal) a state of flux almost the issue.ProponentsT hose who are for the examine take much criticism, but have valid points. Proponents claim that the exam will encourage students to achieve basic competency in core subjects and to make the high school diploma more meaningful (Rosenthal, 2008). There is little definition just about what a meaningful diploma is, but the arguments dont stop there. They claim that dropout rates havent declined because of the exam (Greene & Winters, 2004), as recite that students take more pride in their high school experience. It is said, Most students who are serious about graduating high school should be able to pass such an exam if given enough tries (Greene & Winters, 2004). Although this vista is biased in the opinion of some, the fact is that every state gives the students multiple chances to pass the exam. Some students even begin taking the test in Spring of the 8th grade year. Ironically, some of the biggest supporters of the exam are students who have received their diplomas by passing it. One news report reads, They want the exams, as well, because it validates the ordinance that they worked so grave to achieve (OReilly, n.d.). The meaning is that once students have felt the threat of not graduating if they cant pass the exam, and then they do pass it, they are more likely to feel like everyone else who works hard should pass the exam, too. The fact that people want students in high school to begin taking